Book of Common Prayer

For the Chief Musician. Set to “The Lilies.” A contemplation by the sons of Korah. A wedding song.

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by the sons of Korah.

A Song. A Psalm by the sons of Korah.

²³ In the thirty-first year of Asa king of Judah, Omri began to reign over Israel for twelve years. He reigned six years in Tirzah. ²⁴ He bought the hill Samaria of Shemer for two talents^[a] of silver; and he built on the hill, and called the name of the city which he built, Samaria, after the name of Shemer, the owner of the hill. ²⁵ Omri did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, and dealt wickedly above all who were before him. ²⁶ For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in his sins with which he made Israel to sin, to provoke Yahweh, the God of Israel, to anger with their vanities. ²⁷ Now the rest of the acts of Omri which he did, and his might that he showed, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? ²⁸ So Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria; and Ahab his son reigned in his place.

²⁹ In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab the son of Omri began to reign over Israel. Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years. ³⁰ Ahab the son of Omri did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight above all that were before him. ³¹ As if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, he took as wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went and served Baal and worshiped him. ³² He raised up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria. ³³ Ahab made the Asherah; and Ahab did more yet to provoke Yahweh, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him. ³⁴ In his days Hiel the Bethelite built Jericho. He laid its foundation with the loss of Abiram his firstborn, and set up its gates with the loss of his youngest son Segub, according to Yahweh’s word, which he spoke by Joshua the son of Nun.

¹² Now I desire to have you know, brothers,^[a] that the things which happened to me have turned out rather to the progress of the Good News, ¹³ so that it became evident to the whole palace^[b] guard, and to all the rest, that my bonds are in Christ, ¹⁴ and that most of the brothers in the Lord, being confident through my bonds, are more abundantly bold to speak the word of God without fear. ¹⁵ Some indeed preach Christ even out of envy and strife, and some also out of good will. ¹⁶ The former insincerely preach Christ from selfish ambition, thinking that they add affliction to my chains; ¹⁷ but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the Good News.

¹⁸ What does it matter? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed. I rejoice in this, yes, and will rejoice. ¹⁹ For I know that this will turn out to my salvation through your prayers and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, ²⁰ according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will in no way be disappointed, but with all boldness, as always, now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. ²¹ For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. ²² But if I live on in the flesh, this will bring fruit from my work; yet I don’t know what I will choose. ²³ But I am hard pressed between the two, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. ²⁴ Yet to remain in the flesh is more needful for your sake. ²⁵ Having this confidence, I know that I will remain, yes, and remain with you all for your progress and joy in the faith, ²⁶ that your boasting^[c] may abound in Christ Jesus in me through my presence with you again.

²⁷ Only let your way of life be worthy of the Good News of Christ, that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your state, that you stand firm in one spirit, with one soul striving for the faith of the Good News; ²⁸ and in nothing frightened by the adversaries, which is for them a proof of destruction, but to you of salvation, and that from God. ²⁹ Because it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer on his behalf, ³⁰ having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear is in me.

16 When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint him. ² Very early on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. ³ They were saying among themselves, “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?” ⁴ for it was very big. Looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back.

⁵ Entering into the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe; and they were amazed. ⁶ He said to them, “Don’t be amazed. You seek Jesus, the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him! ⁷ But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He goes before you into Galilee. There you will see him, as he said to you.’”

⁸ They went out,^[a] and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had come on them. They said nothing to anyone; for they were afraid.^[b]

^9 [c]Now when he had risen early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. ¹⁰ She went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept. ¹¹ When they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they disbelieved.

¹² After these things he was revealed in another form to two of them as they walked, on their way into the country. ¹³ They went away and told it to the rest. They didn’t believe them, either.

¹⁴ Afterward he was revealed to the eleven themselves as they sat at the table; and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they didn’t believe those who had seen him after he had risen. ¹⁵ He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to the whole creation. ¹⁶ He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who disbelieves will be condemned. ¹⁷ These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new languages; ¹⁸ they will take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it will in no way hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

¹⁹ So then the Lord,^[d] after he had spoken to them, was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. ²⁰ They went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word by the signs that followed. Amen.